Electro-magnetic stored energy card punch



Sept. 25, 1962 0. w. HUBBARD ELECTRO-MAGNETIC STORED ENERGY CARD PUNCH Filed May 5, 1959 4 rraeA/iys This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in card punching devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and economical device in which the use of cams, clutches, and other mechanisms which suffer from inaccuracies and wear are eliminated.

A further object is to provide a device in which the moving masses are so counterbalanced that shock to and vibration of the supporting frame are avoided.

A still further object is to provide a mechanism in which there is instantaneous operation with zero access time.

Yet another object is to provide a mechanism in which is provided automatic overload protection with high speed operation.

In brief and general terms the invention comprises two movable masses of equal inertia which are held in a separated relative position by suitable latch means. Resilient means of equal compliance under tension are connected to these masses in their separated positions and the stored energy in these resilient means is released and converted into kinetic energy when the latch is released. This causes the masses to be forcefully drawn together to perform an operation such as punching a card. In achieving this impact only a small portion of the stored energy is expended and the resilient means rebound and thus immediately move the masses apart. An electro-magnetic means associated with the masses is energized during this rebound to effect the final separation of the masses to a position where the latch is automatically reengaged, to hold the masses in their normal separated positions.

In a preferred form of the invention the masses are respectively a punch set-up mechanism and a punch and die mechanism. Springs connect these mechanisms to fixed points and in the separated positions of these mechanisms the springs are under tension and the mechanisms are held in this separated relation by a latch member. Thus static energy is stored up in the springs which will be converted into kinetic energy to pull the mechanisms together when the latch isreleased. Immediately after the impact between these mechanisms to perform the punching operation the springs rebound and start to move the mechanisms apart. At the proper instant in this rebound movement an electromagnetic means is energized to effect the rebound movement to the point where the latch will automatically be reengaged to hold the mechanisms in their normal separated relation. It is obvious that in this operation the movements of the mechanisms are respectively in opposite directions and balanced so that there is a substantial reduction in shock and vibration on the machine as a whole.

A present preferred form which the invention may assume is illustrated in the drawings, of which,

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of the device and,

FIG. 2 is a sectional through the latch mechanism.

In the drawings there is provided a U-shaped frame having a base 10, and spaced vertical legs 11 and 12. Near the tops of the legs arms 13 and 14 extend horizontally inwardly toward each other. Disposed between the arms 13 and 14 are a punch set-up mechanism 15 and beneath it a punch and die mechanism 16, both schematically shown the one above the other. The punch set-up mechanism 15 is only schematically shown but contains a series of punch setup elements (not shown) of any well known type which are mechanically or electrically operated to be selectively set for punching a card in any desired manner. The punch and die mechanism 16 is likewise only schematically shown but has a slot 17 in which a card may be disposed by any suitable means for punching operations thereon. This mechanism 16 is provided with well known punch elements (not shown) which are engaged selectively by the set-up elements of the mechanism 15 when the two mechanisms are pulled toward each other.

The punch set-up mechanism 15 is provided with arms 18 and 19 extending outwardly from opposite ends thereof and these arms are disposed respectively above the arms 13 and 14 above mentioned. A resilient member such as a spring 2% is fixed at its ends to the arms 13 and 18 and a resilient member such as the spring 21 is fixed at its ends to the arms 14 and 19.

The punch and die mechanism 16 is provided with arms 22 and 23 extending outwardly from opposite ends thereof and these arms are disposed respectively below the arms 13 and 14 above mentioned. A resilient member such as a spring 24 is fixed at its ends to the arms 13 and 22 and a resilient member such as the spring 25 is fixed at its ends to the arms 14 and 23. These springs .21), 21, 24, and 25 are of such a nature that they are under considerable tension when the mechanisms 15 and 16 are separated as shown in FIG. 1. These mechanisms are held in this separated relation by means of a latch mechanism generally designated by the numeral 26 and constructed, as to one form thereof as follows:

There is a pivoted latch plate 28. As shown in FIG. 2 the end of the latch plate 28 rests on top of the upper face of the punch and die mechanism 16, and bears against a stop lug 29 thereon. Bracket 30, to which the plate 28 is pivoted, as at 27, is fixed to the side of the punch set-up mechanism 15 and supports an electromagnet 31 which has a core element 32. An elongate stem 33 extends from the end of the core through a hole in the latch plate 28 and has on its outer end a weighted plug or disk 34. A spring 35 is compressed between the face of the latch plate 28 and the bracket 30 and tends to urge the plate to the position shown in FIG. 1. When the electro-magnet 31 is energized by any suitable means (not shown) the core 32 is drawn in with considerable force and moves the plug 34 sharply against the adjacent face of the latch plate 28 and forces it quickly out of latching position against the resistance of spring 35. Thus the mechanisms 15 and 16 are released and static energy stored in the springs 20, 21, 24, and 25 is converted into kinetic energy which draws the mechanisms sharply toward each other so that the selected set-up pins on mechanism 15 engage the desired punch elements of mechanism 16 to punch the card. When this impaction takes place only a portion of the energy of the springs is expended and they rebound immediately and tend to move the mechanisms 15 and 16 toward their separated position. Since the energy in the springs on rebound will not be sufficient to carry the mechanisms to their final separated position means are provided to achieve this final positioning. This means may take the form of an electro-magnet mounted on a flat bar 36 the ends of which are provided with slots 37 and 38 to receive guide posts 39 and 40 fixed to and extending upwardly from the base of the frame 10. This arrangement permits vertical movement of the magnet but prevents lateral movement thereof. Rods 41 and 42 fixed atheir lower ends to the bar 36 pass up freely through apertures 43 and 44 in the punch and die mechanism 16 and are firmly anchored in apertures 45 and 46 in the punch set-up mech- 3 anism 15. Thus any movement of the bar 36 will also result in a corresponding movement of the mechanism 15.

The magnet has two pole pieces 47 and 48 lying adjacent the lower face of the mechanism 16 and an armature 49 is fixed to the lower face of the mechanism 16 just above the pole pieces 47 and 4-8.

Operation of the Device With the parts in the position shown in FIG. 1 and the latch mechanism holding the masses 15 and 16 apart, a card to be punched is introduced into the slot 17 by any suitable means. When it is in position, a pulse is transmitted to the latch magnet 31 which causes the release of the latch plate 28. The stored energy in the stretched springs. 21}, 21, 24, and 25 will then snap the two masses 15 and 16 toward each other until the set-up elements on the one engage the punch elements of the other to effect the punching of the desired combination of holes in the card. At this engagement the springs rebound toward the separated position. Immediately after the above mentioned engagement of the parts for punching the proper circuits (not shown) pulse the mag net on the bar 36 which attracts the armature 49 to pull the mass 16 downwardly and at the same time the said magnet is moved upwardly slightly and therefore will move the mass 15 upwardly to a point where the lower end of the latch plate 28 is just above the upper face of the mass 16 whereupon the spring 35 will snap the end of the latch plate into latching position to hold the parts in their normal separated relation as shown in FIG. 1.

It can be readily appreciated that the movement of the two masses are always in opposite directions relative to each other and that therefore shock and vibration in the device is reduced to a minimum. Under the strong action of the stretched springs the action of punching is instantaneous and with Zero access time. That is, the punching operation may be commenced, at will, by a pulse from the associated computer and need not wait for a fixed point in the complete machine cycle to come into its engagement position. Also the punching operation may be completed with the remainder of the machine being stopped. The entire device is simple and operates without the use of the usual cams, clutches, and other mechanisms previously employed.

While I have described what I consider to be a highly desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many changes in form could be made without departing from the invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of my invention as hereinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a card punching device, a movable punch set-up mechanism, a movable punch and die mechanism, each of the mechanisms being embodied in a body of relatively heavy mass, supporting means, springs extending from the opposite sides of said supporting means and connected to each of said masses and the supporting means for driving said masses through an elastic rebound cycle during which the masses are brought into operative contact with each other to perform a punching operation, latch means for holding the masses apart in a sepa- 4 rated position against the action of said springs, means for releasing said latch means, electromagent means operable upon rebound of said masses after said contact for moving said masses to said separated position, and means for automaticfly moving said latch means into position for holding said masses separated.

2. In a card punching device, a movable punch set-up mechanism, a movable punch and die mechanism, said mechanisms being embodied in relatively heavy and substantially equal masses, respectively, a common support for said mechanisms, spring means for mounting each of said mechanisms on said support, said spring means suspending said mechanisms for vibratory motion towards and away from each other in accordance with the elastic rebound cycle of said spring means, said mechanisms when movim towards each other in the driving portion of said cycle being brought into operative contact with each other to perform a punching operation, and when moving away from each other in the rebound portion of the cycle restoring to a normally separated position, latch means for holding said mechanisms apart in said normally separated position against the action of said spring means, means for releasing said latch means, and electromagnetic means effective during the rebound portion of said cycle for supplementing the energy in said spring means to restore said mechanisms to their normally separated positions.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said electromagnetic means includes coil means mounted integrally with one of said mechanisms and armature means mounted inte rally with the other of said mechanisms, said coil means and armature means being disposed so as to exert electromagnetic force therebetween along the axis of vibratory movement of said mechanisms.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said coil means integral with said one mechanism is mounted on a support member disposed on the opposite side of said other mechanism from the side facing said one mechanism whereby the magnetic attraction between said coil means and said armature means tends to move said mechanisms away from each other.

5. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said latch means comprises a latch plate pivotally secured to one of said mechanisms and adapted when in normal latching position to bear against the other of said mechanisms to hold said mechanisms in their normal separated positions against the tension of said spring means.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said latch releasing means includes a releasing magnet efiective when energized for swinging said latch plate out of engagement with said other mechanism to release said mechanisms for an elastic rebound cycle, and including a spring member for restoring said latch plate to its normal latching position when the mechanisms are restored at the completion of said cycle to their normally separated positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,320 Frohn Oct. 7, 1919 1,425,405 Miller et al Aug. 8, 1922 2,813,481 Hansen Nov. 19, 1957 

